Soulé
Info: On our latest Irish independent playlist here on REMY we have a swirl of sounds from funky grooves, pop-infused Rn'B, downtempo electronica, indie rock and experimental 80's rock vibes from all corners of the island.
Those funk-laden grooves come courtesy of our opening track, 'Favourite Thing' by producer and musician Jon Dots. Dots has released a slew of singles this year and an EP Impossibly which came out in July, the Alien She drummer displaying a broad creative vision with a sound that contrasts sharply from the dark post-punk of that band. On this latest single he effortlessly churns out uplifting disco and funk accentuated by his soft and charm-filled pop vocal. It's a cliché, but more people need to hear Dots' solo work without delay.
It took a very long time for us to catch Rn'B pop artist Soulé live, but we finally got the chance at Forbidden Fruit this year, and it was a memorable performance filled with energy and a determination to lift the crowd on board her soul train. 'What Do You Know' has all of the classic elements of a late 90's rn'b gem, and we're listening on repeat since it came out yesterday. Thick plonky synths and a fulsome humming beat circle themselves around Soulé's super-clean vocal, and then there's that lovely flute loop.
Two electronic acts we're giddy with excitement to see at Hard Working Class Heroes at the end of the month are Cork's 1000 Beasts and Limerick's Proper Micro NV, both of whom will be playing on a ridiculous line-up at The Grand Social on the 29th of September with Bad Bones, Le Boom and DAITHÍ. 1000 Beasts have just released a new single 'Got That Feeling' featuring vocalist Ryan O'Shaughnessy. Cian Sweeney and Eric McCarthy have revamped the track which originally featured on O'Shaughnessy's 2016 album Back to Square One as a collaboration between the trio. Lacing the single with electronic grooves and some smouldering soul and rn'b pop sounds, it's a highly addictive and laid-back affair and a new video is less than a week away.
Rory Hall, aka Proper Micro NV released what we feel is one of the best Irish EP's of the year in Colours back in June. From that collection of tracks he has just shared 'Opinion X'. Hall's power lies in his ability to place a slider between the energy and ambience of his soundscapes simultaneously, the latter compounded by his characteristically withdrawn vocal. Even though the music sounds like it's floating out into a dark expanse, there's also a closeness to the sound that you can almost touch.
We're off to Galway next to long-term favourites round these parts, the wonderful Bob Skeleton and their latest single 'See The Moon'. With three solid EP's already under their belt, the garage pop and indie swagger of the new track is found to be in full flow. Rolling drums and a rasping vocal exude a casual attitude, and something I never really picked up before, here the four-piece add a bit of 90's Britpop charm to their latest salvo, and that chorus line of 'Love I know it's only sunset, but in you I see the moon' just adds to that warm sense.
Better late than never Dublin Northern Soul and 80's tinged trio Session Motts enter our life with their new single 'Back in the Day'. The band have been receiving plaudits from the highest of places since releasing their debut single in January with likes of The Irish Times making them their New Artist of the Week, Dan Hegarty debuting it on 2FM and Tom Dunne naming it as one of his top three Irish releases. On the new single, Session Motts conjure a majestical amount of nostalgia for 80's synth dark-pop with a firm contemporary hand casting itself over the chorus.
KARMS
Dublin indie-rock bruisers KARMS released their debut EP The River early last week, and here we feature the title track. It's a rabble-rousing burst of no nonsense and unabashed indie guitar-pop with a hard edge. 'The River' is a jolting opening to the EP, incessant and mechanical with a thunderous tempo, what you might expect if Weezer and Jimmy Eat World decided to collaborate, ultimately a sound which should see KARMS in places they may not expect to be in in 2018.
We calm ourselves momentarily with the tenderly crafted instrumental sounds of Cork's The Grey Merchant, who, as we have seen in the past, can ratchet up the sound levels as required. Here on his latest single, 'Never Give Up, Anything is Possible' a slow sliding introduction makes way for the glorious percussion-driven energy we are starting to associate with his music. The single is the closing track from his debut LP, Avenue de Rennes which will be released at the end of this month.
Wicklow indie-rock trio Feuds released their latest single 'Anything I Wouldn't' a couple of weeks ago. The band have been on the go since 2015 when they released their debut EP Lost Again and will now be looking to gain a foothold in the Irish music scene with their new track. It's a punchy and light-hearted affair with a nice mix of jangle-pop and distorted guitars with the slightest hint of math-rock timings scattered throughout.
Finally we have Dublin singer-songwriter Ivan Nicolas and his new single 'Moving On', which swings from old school 80's pop rock to modern indie stylings you might expect from The War on Drugs and gets better and better with every listen. Nicolas, with a background as a blues drummer, switched to guitar and piano ahead of his debut single release in April of this year. He will also appear at The Tara Buildings as part of HWCH on the 30th of September and it will be an interesting opportunity to see how his recorded material transfers to the live stage.
For our previous independent Irish playlist, head along here to listen to Issue #11 https://thebestofmusicandfilm.blogspot.ie/2017/08/playlist-remys-irish-independent-top-10_26.html
